Decide you want to run. Join the track team. Make some friends, and some competition.
Buy some shoes, one for races and one for practices. (It pays off to have two.) Get a discount for being a team member. Everyday, after school, get ready for practice. Run the warm ups laughing and joking around with friends and count evens while stretching in a circle. Listen to the coach while he explains the workout. Dread the workout. Wish it was all over, that you weren't a runner but a tennis player or anything so you don't have to run this. Regret having that chili last night for dinner, but don't because it was so good. Finally, finish the workout, and wonder how you made it. Be proud that you survived, and that you got stronger out of it. You have to be prepared to get incredibly tired so you can barely walk in order to truly feel the accomplishment. Get ready for the next day's practice.
Today you have a meet. You are going to run in your first race of the season. You're nervous all day, there is a giant knot in your stomach. Wish the day was over, that you already ran your race, or something occurred which canceled the race. Think about that the entire time until the gun goes off. Focus on the race, get a sense of adrenaline kicking in. Ignore the screaming crowds all around you. Feel the heart race in you, the legs just moving back and forth. Stare at the ground, at the person in front of you, at how many laps left to go. Try to catch up to people, and pass them, while making sure no one passes you.
The bell rings, it's the final lap. Your heart races faster, you feel pressure building in you to go faster. The last hundred meters. You remember what to do. Sprint. Sprint to catch the guy barely in front of you. Sprint to beat the guy trying to pass you. Sprint to secure a place for yourself. Sprint to shave off a second or two off your time. You run pass the line, and try to slow down. You can barely breath or stand. Your legs can't support you or themselves. This is what the hard practices were for. The coach come over to congratulate you, evaluate your performance, and report your time. It's a new time. The work paid off. This is the ultimate reward in running. Seeing yourself get faster, to a new time you couldn't have imagined possible.
Now, get ready for the next race. Go to practice with a goal in mind. To run even faster.
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ReplyDeleteum excuse meh...tennis player? It's way tougher than you think. Psh yea right, I actually was brought back to the "old days" after reading this. Very descriptive.
ReplyDeleteI think it was great how it followed the style of Lorie Moore's story. It shows what you go through to be a runner and the various forms of pain you go through. But at the end, the quote "to run even faster" shows how even though you hated training, you were really willing to stick with it to become better.
ReplyDeleteYour great use of detail and emotional expression really brought me into the piece! I like how the piece is not just about the sport, but also ties in accomplishment and goals.
ReplyDeleteWow, simply amazing. I like the detail in every paragraph. This is a lot like Lorrie Moore from yesterday. It is motivating in a sense that if you stick with something a reward will come. My favorite line was Now, get ready for the next race. Go to practice with a goal in mind. To run even faster. The end was perfect. It shows that if you do something and are concentrated then success will come. The only thing to it is hard work. Amazing piece!
ReplyDeleteI like this because it motivates you to do something. That is what makes it good.
ReplyDeleteThis was really good. I like how you bring out that practice makes perfect. That people need to try their best even when they feel like they can do it because in the end they can do it.
ReplyDeleteSo many funny details full of imagery.
ReplyDelete"get the discount" "dread the workout" regret eating chili" - they all feel like the start of a funny anecdote. i also lke your details from the race itself. Great tone and energy.